


A proposition

by harin91



Category: Actor RPF, Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018) Actor RPF
Genre: Bohemian Rhapsody era, First Dates, M/M, Prompt Fill, The Pacific era, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2020-01-01 00:52:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18325376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harin91/pseuds/harin91
Summary: Prompt for Mazlek on a first date!Requested by @anon on Tumblr... I got carried away and added a surprise at the end :)





	A proposition

**Author's Note:**

> **Not beta-ed, English is not my first language**
> 
> Also posted on Tumblr at: [brightly-painted-canvas](http://brightly-painted-canvas.tumblr.com/post/183873891128/prompt-for-mazlek-on-a-first-date)

Most people would probably think their first date had been in a fancy restaurant in NYC or even on a boat over the Seine in Paris.  
Fact is, their very first date had been back in 2008, in Australia and hadn’t at all been planned.  
  
  
Rami had been tired and had been stressed out and had been psychologically affected by what he had to act on set of The Pacific.  
They all had been, but despite him arguing he wasn’t a method actor, he had landed one of the most dark and controversial roles of the series and he was slowly getting too involved in the character of Snafu day after day and scene after scene.  
All his fellow actors weren’t faring much better, given they daily had to faithfully recreate some of the bloodiest and most gruesome battles of WWII and that was why, when they were granted some extra time off set or when they wrapped up early on a production day, they tried to distract themselves with other activities that didn’t involve scripts, cameras, mud and weapons.  
They mostly wandered outside the trailers park and explored the area, drinking beers in local pubs or having long walks on the beach. All of these outings were improvised and they happened in the evenings or afternoons when they had scheduled days off.  
Most of the times they were organised on the spot, during breaks between takes: some of the actors would start complaining about the weather or the mud or describing how tired they were and then one of the others would suggest a trip to the pub and would kindly offer a run of beer for everyone.

It had happened that afternoon as well, after a take gone wrong because a mic operator had slipped on a muddy slope and landed in the shot.  
“Do not worry, ole buddy.” said breezily Martin to the apologetic crew member, still imitating a 40s American accent and making Rami and Joe giggle: “I was delivering the line like shit anyway.”  
“C’mon guys, let’s hang in there.” cheered one assistant: “We’re almost done for today.”  
“I think I’ll need a beer after this one.” sighed the sound guy.“Amen to that!” said Brendan and Noel almost in unison.  
“We could go grab one later.” suggested Joe, looking for confirmation at Rami who was sat right by his side.  
The other actor shrugged and nodded: “I wouldn’t mind.” he replied with a kind smile, one that easily contrasted with the depressed and miserable state they were portraying in the scene.

  
It turned out, the others were busy watching football that evening.  
  
So after Rami had showered for five long minutes, now used to step under the spray and bow his head and wait for the grime and exhaustion to wash away together with the darker and heavier thoughts and slags of Snafu, he put on the first clean clothes he found in his trailer and stepped outside only to find out everyone else was already crowding the cafeteria with their eyes glued to the screen of the crew’s television.  
Everyone except for Joe, who was leaning against the wall of the building, dressed in a dark blue button-up shirt and nicely fitted jeans, clearly waiting for Rami to approach.  
“I didn’t know I was supposed to make an effort.” he joked, widening his arms to point out his open checkered shirt over a white v-necked t-shirt and khaki shorts.  
Joe just rolled his eyes, then nodded toward the crowd of football enthusiasts: “Seems like the boys are busy. Do you mind if it’s just you and me?” he asked.  
“Is this a date, Mazzello?” hinted Rami, already walking toward the entrance gate, Joe trailing right behind him.  
“Yeah.” replied Joe easily, blushing just the slightest to put colour on his pale, freckled cheeks.

  
The pub they ended choosing that evening was right outside Werribee in the outskirts of Melbourne: a family-run place that was the opposite of fancy but that time felt somehow familiar and nostalgic to them.

In the exact same pub they found themselves ten years later, sitting at the very same table they had occupied that distant evening.  
The old couple of owners had been replaced by their daughter and son-in-law but nothing else had changed and they sat quietly, contemplating their surroundings, lost in thoughts of time past and memories of the years together.  
  
They had been adamant with their managers as soon as they were scheduled a stop in Melbourne for the Bohemian Rhapsody press tour: they requested half a day off and refused to let anyone know their whereabouts, claiming they needed a trip down memory lane from the time they were filming The Pacific.  
No one, not even Gwilym, dared ask for more informations after that specific explanation.  
  
Rami looked down at his already half empty glass of beer, then back at Joe’s earnest eyes on his quietly smiling face.  
They had come a long way.  
He was just about to voice his wistful thoughts when Joe straightened his posture, searched for something in his pocket and extracted a small velvety box, placing it on the table right between them.  
  
Rami’s breath caught in his throat, his body suddenly paralysed, his focus wavering for a bit before he stuttered: “Is this a marriage proposal, Mazzello?” trying to sound more funny than panicked.  
“Yeah.” replied Joe with his easy smile.  
Rami laughed, relief and hysteria mixing up.  
“If I’d known I would’ve made an effort!” he joked, gesturing to the way he was dressed, in his usual stylish way but not at all appropriate for the task at hand, in his opinion.  
“Just… shut up, Malek.” sighed Joe, shaking his head with fondness: “And wear that damn ring already.”


End file.
